Prediction of the Lipid Degradation and Storage Time of Chilled Beef Flank by Using Raman Spectroscopy and Chemometrics

Raman scattering and chemometrics were used to predict the lipid degradation and storage time of chilled beef flank by using a portable Raman spectrometer. Results showed that the performance of the combination of the three indicators in terms of predicting the storage time was more accurate than that of their independent usage (R-2 = 0.92 compared with 0.88, 0.35, and 0.42). Raman spectroscopy could predict the storage time (R-cv(2) = 0.76), but it could not precisely predict acid value [Av], peroxide value [Pov], and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances [TBARS] (R-cv(2) = 0.42-0.50, 0.18-0.40, 0.41-0.43) by using three processing methods. The prediction of Av, Pov, TBARS, and storage time based on Raman intensities at the characteristic Raman shifts were more precise (R-2 = 0.87-0.95) than based on Raman intensities at full bands. Therefore, Raman spectroscopy and chemometrics could be applied to perform nondestructive quantitation and determine the lipid degradation and storage time of chilled beef flank.